The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-11-05

might have hid the inhrmfies Of age, ant
said deliberately with foreign accent:
"You-r-r ac-coumptg"
In the actual presence OF the apparitioi
Mr.. Motifs dignited resistance wavered
But CHANGING uneasily ut his daughter
and seeing her calm eyes fixed on TIT
| speaker without embarrassment, he folded
his arms stiflly and, with a lofty simula
ton Of examining the ceiling, said:
"Ahem! Rosa! The gentleman's nc
count"
II was an infelicitous action. For the
stranger, who evidently had not noticed
the presence Of the young girl before
started, took n step quickly forward, benz
stfily but profoundly over the little hand
that held the account, raised it 10 his
lips, and, with n thousand pardons,
madcmoiselle, laid n small canvas bag
containing the rent before the disorganized
Mr. Mott and stifily vanished.
Tint night was troubled one to the
simple minded proprietor OF the good ship
Pontiac. Unable TO voice his uneasiness
by further discussion, but feeling that his
late dscomposing interview with his
lodger demanded some marked protest,
he abscnted himself on the plea Of bust
ness during the rest Of the evening, hap
PLY to his daughters inter obliviousness
of the reason lights were burning bril-
liantly in counting rooms and offices, the
fcverish life of the mercantile city was at
its height With "A vague idea OF enter
ing into immediate negotiations with Mr..
Sleight for the sale Of the ship-as di-
rect way ont Of his present perpleXity, he
bent his steps toward the tinancier' IS Office,
but paused and turned back before reach
ing the door lie made his way to the
wharf and gazed abstractedly at the lights
reflected in the dark, tremulous, jelly like
water. But wherever he went he was ac-
companed by the absurd figure Of his
lodgcr-a figure he had hitherto laughed
at or half pitied, but which now, to his
bewildercd comprehension, seemed to have
a Hateful significance Here new idea
seized him, and he hurried back to the
ship, slackenng his pace only when he
arrived ut his own doorway. Here he
paused moment and slowly assembled
the staircase When he reached the pas
sage he coughed slightly and paused
"Saih iheii ie Pu'i'eu 'pen 'no uooi vi
the darkencd cabin and called softly:
"Rosey'
"What is it, father" said Rosey's voice
from the little staterOom on the right
hoses own oo"e.'
No'hiiS' s"i'' W. -'o''' WIN an al
recitation VI ""s,'" '"''''''Ss' oiiy
"aii'eo ~ NM" II !"u was ooiiiioi' aoie'
IL : III awful pusy iiiSh' III uo"h'
les, iaIher'
Il reckon 'har IONS o golu soih' 10 the
states 'o-hiorroW'
les ia'Her'
Pretty cohliorIap'e' eng
les, laIier'
WE'LL IN browse rouhu SPELL ana
turn III myself sooh'
les, laIHer'
MI. No't TOOK GOWN hanging lantern,
III 1t, ana passed. oUl in'o lhe SahS"ay'
Another lamp huAS Noih the companion
hatch To hEh' the tenants To the lower
deck whence he descended ms deck
was divided lore ana ait by partitloned
loits OF apartments pelhg
lighted from the ports ana one or TWO oy
a door cut through tie shlp's size COM
with an aIIey on either SIDE.
ms was the case "llh 'he loiI occnpie"
by MI Nott strange LOGGER "hich, De-
sides door III the passage mad TINS inde-
pendent communication with the aliey.
Mott hah never known MN TO make use
OF the latter door; on the contrary, II was
irs regular haoit 10 issue from ms apart
ment at o clock every afternoon, dressed
rs lN has been described, strlde deliberately
through the passage TO the upper deck ana
thence into the street, where his strange
figure was a feature CT the principal
promenade Tor TWO or three hours, re-
as regularly at o O'CLOCK TO the
ship and the secluslon OF his lott. Mr..
Mott paused before the door, under the
pretense of throwing the light before him
into the shadows of the forecastle; all was
silent within. lie was turning back when
he was impressed by the regular recur-
renee of peculiar rustling sound which
L.. .uN IN - hn bal NsVNTR ~